Before he delivered his victory speech on Tuesday night in Chicago, President-elect Barack Obama took a call and bowed his head in prayer. Dr. Joel Hunter, pastor of Northland Church in Orlando, Florida and Otis Moss Jr. from Mount Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio joined him in that prayer.
Speaking with CNN today by phone, Dr. Hunter says the prayer was intensely personal and private but did say “I prayed for his family and for him and for the country. I had no agenda other than trying to create an environment in which he felt the presence and could receive wisdom from God.” Dr. Hunter, a conservative evangelical who delivered a prayer at the Democratic National Convention this summer, says the President-elect “…feels the weight of this responsibility. He [Obama] doesn’t take upon himself of having to have all the answers but he certainly realizes the huge challenges this nation faces. He feels the personal weight of the potential to guide us through these difficult times. I don’t think he’s oppressed by it though.” Dr. Hunter says he thinks it set in for Obama last night and led to the sober tone of the victory speech.
Evangelicals have long been a force in American politics but many wondered with the defeat of Sen. John McCain what role they will play in the Obama administration. Eric Sapp is one of the founders of The Eleison Group which works specifically with Democratic campaigns to mobilize Christian voters he says, “There is a new generation of white evangelicals. They are less partisan and it all plays to Barack Obama’s favor.” Sapp puts Hunter in that category and thinks the Obama administration will be inclusive of evangelicals. “I think it’s an early indication of the way he’s going to govern. For something as personal as who he wants praying for him is a good indicator of how he wants to be president.”
For Hunter, it wasn’t the first time the two men had prayed together and says the prayer before Obama's speech Tuesday night was in keeping with the next president's character, “Obama is a big picture person. His big picture includes God and he wanted to do that as it’s just the right thing to do at that moment.”
I did look up Dr. Hunter and the church he pastors. Here is their statement of faith:
The Bible
We believe the Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, is verbally inspired of God, is inerrant in the original writings, and is the Christian's final authority in faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Means of Salvation
We believe that salvation from the guilt and condemnation of sin is possible only as the gift of God's grace. It cannot be gained by good resolutions, sincere efforts, nor submission to the rules, regulations, or ordinances of any church, but is freely bestowed on all who put their faith in Christ and trust in the work that Christ accomplished on the cross of Calvary. All who so trust the Savior pass from death unto life, are forgiven of their sins, accepted by the Father, and born into His family by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. (James 5:24; Ephesians 1:6-7; 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23)
Security, Assurance and Responsibility
We believe that all the saved, those in whom God has accomplished His transforming work of grace, are kept by His power and are thus secure in Christ forever. It is their privilege to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation. However, this assurance must not be the occasion for sin, for God in His holiness cannot tolerate persistent sin in His children, and in infinite love He corrects them. True faith in Christ is expressed by a fruitful, God-pleasing life. (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:19-39; 1 John 5:13; Hebrews 12:6; Matthew 7:20; James 2:20)
Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God, but that he sinned, incurring not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God and which is inherited by every member of Adam's race. We believe that man is subject to the power of the devil and has within himself no possible means of recovery or salvation. (Genesis 1:26; 1 John 1:8-10; Romans 6:23)
The Church
We believe that the true church is composed of all who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, that those who are members of the true church will be eligible for membership in the local church. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are to be observed by the church during the present age. Baptism and the Lords’ Supper are acts of obedience to the Lord. Participation in them, though, is not to be regarded in any sense as a means of salvation. (Acts 2)
The Christian's Walk
We believe that we are called with a holy calling to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. The flesh (our natural desire), which in this life is never fully eradicated, must be kept by the Spirit (through our walk of faith), constantly in subjection to Christ, or it will surely manifest its presence in our lives, to the dishonor of our Lord. (Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:16)
The Eternal State
We believe that the souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation do, at death, immediately pass into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at His coming for the church, when soul and glorified body, reunited, will be associated with Him forever in glory. We believe that unbelievers will be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power. (John 3:15-16; Hebrews 9:28; Matthew 25:41-46)
God
The Trinity - We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 6:8)
Jesus Christ - We believe by miracle of the virgin birth that the Lord Jesus Christ, eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God in order to reveal God and to redeem man. He is the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins and arose bodily from the dead for our justification. He is now exalted at the right hand of God, Head of the Church and Lord of the individual believer, fulfilling His ministry as our Great High Priest and Advocate. (Matthew 1:18-23; John 1:1-3)
Holy Spirit - We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of sin, regenerates and converts sinners, and baptizes them into the church, which is the body of Christ. We believe that He indwells, guides, instructs and empowers the believer for godly living and service, and that He seals and keeps him until the Lord comes. We believe that He bestows spiritual gifts upon each one. We believe that the believer has received one or more spiritual gifts so that he might exercise them for the strengthening and outreach of the body of Christ. The practice of any gift in any gathered body shall be in keeping with the Scripture. (John 14:16-17; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 12:7)
I will say this...
We are commanded in the Bible this way:
Romans 13:1-4
Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good.
We are also to pray for our leaders...Including the president that I did not vote for.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
So, no matter if He is liberal or not, I will pray for him, for his family, for those he appoints and for him to have the wisdom to do this job. I would ask everyone who reads this, to do the same.
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